Sealing device



2 Sheets-Sheet l May 28, 1935. E. MENDNHALI. Er AL SEALING DEVICE Filed June 16, 1951 @zal ' May 28,` 1935. E. MENDENHALL Err AL SEALING DEVICE Filed June 16, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [W5/@Uga- 54H1. Mg/vog/w/ALL,

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Patented May'28, 1935 i l UNITED ,STATESI PATENT OFFICE SEALING DEVICE Earl Mendenhall and Jimius B. Van Horn, Los

Angeles, Calif., assignors to Menhorn, Inc., Los 'i Angeles,-Ca.lif., a corporation of California Application June 16, 1931, Serial No; 544,792

17 Claims. (Cl. 286-9) Our invention relates to sealing devices, and our invention in combination with a submersible more particularly to a. novel liquid seal for sealelectric motor. ing the junction of a rotating shaft and a station- Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of one form ary member. of seal of our invention. '51 One form of structure in' which our sealing Fig. 3 is a view illustrating another form of 15 device iinds particular utility is that of a subseal of our invention. mersible electric motor enclosed in a shell and Fig. 4 is a view diagrammatlcally illustrating having a shaft extending from this shell. VSuch the surface relationships in en Older type f Seel a structure is shown in our copending applica- Fig. 5 is a view of still another form of seal. l0 tion Ser. No. 114,414, entitled "Submersible elecp Referring particularly to Fig. 1, we have illusl0' tric motor, now Patent No. 1,879,625, wherein trated a submersible electric motor structure I0 we have disclosed the shell as being completely which will be described as being submerged in filled with oil and submerged in a liquid such as water, 0r Other primary liquid, this structure inwater, the oil and'water being separated by the cluding a shell II closed at its lower end by a use of a liquid seal which provides separated surlowerwall I2 and provided at its upper end with f5 faces respectively contacting the oil and water, a dome I3 through which a shaft I4 extends. this seal eiectively preventing any external 'liq- This shaft is J'Ournalled in bearings I5 and I6' uid from entering the motor. Under certain admounted in the shell Il, and a rotor l1 of an verse conditions, however, it has been found that electric mOtOl I8 end Secured thereto, the stator 2o a minute intermixture of oil and Water may take 0f this mOtOI being indicated by the numeral I9 20 place with such a sealing device, and after exand'being suitably seeuled in the shell The tended research and tests the improved sealing space around the motor I8 is Completely lled device forming the basis of the present applieawitha suitable dielectric in the form of oil or other tion was developed. secondary liquid, this oil also partially filling a It is a. primary object 'of this invention to pro.. balance chamber 20 formed between the lower 25 vide a novel form of sealing construction which wall I2 and a perforated' intermediate wall 2|. effectively prevents any admixture of two liquids. The 10We1 Dertien 0f this balance ehambel is in As wi11 be pointed out more in detail hereincommunication with the water surrounding the after, we have found that there is a tendency Shen Il s0 that the lOWel POItiOn 0f this Chamber sa for minute quantities of both the oil and water 20 contains a. body 0f water contacting the Gilat 30 to circulate through lthe body of sealing liquid, a surface 22, thus serving both to prevent oil from forming deiinite circulation paths therethrough. leaving the 10Wer end 0f the Shell and also t0 1f these circulation paths are allowed to meet, eiectively equalize the pressures inside and Outl.and admixture of oil and water takes place, l side of the shell II. This desirable action takes It is an important object of this invention to place due to the fact that oil has a lower density 35 provide a. seal in which any such circulation paths than Water, and, that there is n0 agitation lin are always effectively separated one from the the balance-chamber ,tending t0 miXthese liquids Omen This construction is not a. part of the'present in- A still further object of the -invention is to VentiOn. 4o provide a liquid seal having, surfaces which will It is. however. essential that Vno water reach 40 vnot pit even after prolonged operation. the windings 0f the mOtOl la. and t0 effect' this A'further object of the invention is vto provide end We .utilize a liquid Seel 25 ineelprating the a novel pum'p means associated with aliquid novel features of the invention; We prefer toV seal whereby the positions of the surfaces of the utilize mercury as a Sealing liquid and to retain A1,5 sealing liquid are controlled. Another object of this mercury in an annular space around the '45 the invention is to provide a novel surge chamber shaft Il by means of a suitable cup, there being into which portions of the sealing liquid mayl a baille which extends downward below the surflow under surge conditions. face of the mercury in a manner to divide this Further objects of this invention lie inthe novel surface into primary and secondary surfaces structural details of the sealing structure herein which are 'respectivelyv contacted by the vprimary 50 described. and secondary liquids, as will ,be pointed out in Still further objects and advantages of the detail hereinafter. A seal of this general charinvention will .be made evident hereinafter. acter may be either of two types. In` the iinst Referring to the drawings.- type the mercury may be stationary and the baille Fig. 1 is a utility view illustrating the seal vof may rotate with the shaft, while in the secondY 55 type, the mercury rotates and the baille is stationary. These types of seals are discussed in our copending application entitled Emulsion preventing seal, Serial No. 225,182, now Patent No. 1,879,626. As explained in that application, however, the latter type of seal wherein the mercury rotates is b y far the most satisfactory for use in a submersible motor structure such as the structure I0.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated one form of mercury seal such as is disclosed in our application supra. Referring to this gure, the cup, previously mentioned, is indicated by the numeral 21 and is .secured to theshaft |4 in fluid-tight relationship, while the bale is indicated by the numeral 28 and provides a cylindrical sleeve with a flange 28 at the lower end thereof, this flange being positioned below the normal level of a body of mercury retained in the cup 21. When the shaft is stationary this mercury rests in the lower portion of the cup 27, the surface thereof being indicated by a dotted line 30 of Fig. 4, the bafe 28 dividing this surface into a primary surface 3| and a secondary surface 32. If a bale 28 were not present, and the cup 21 were rotated, the mercury would rotate and form a vortex, the surfaces 3| and 32 defining a paraboloid such as indicated by the dotted line 33. It would appear that the same should be true when the baille 28 is in place, inasmuch as the pressures on the surfaces 3| and 32 are maintained exactly equal due to the balance chamber 20. Such, however, is not the case in all instances, though it is sometimes possible to utilize this form of seal under special circumstances. Tests have conclusively shown that in certain instances there is a tendency for the surfaces 3| and 32 to be displaced from the dotted line 33, the former assuming a position indicated by the full line 35, while the latter assumes a position indicated by the full line 35. Expressed in other words there is a tendency for the primary surface 35 to creep outward on the flange 29.

The reason for this tendency is apparent when we consider that the body of mercury between the flange 29 and the bottom of the cup is rotating somewhat faster than the mercury above this flange, due to the large driving area of the bottom of the cup, and due to the fact that the mass of mercury above this flange is usually greater than that below the flange. Because of this faster rotation of the mercury below the flange 29, the centrifugal force thereon is greater than the corresponding force on the mercury above the flange 29, thus causing this outward movement of the surface 35. In very extreme cases, and under surge conditions, we have found it possible to actually break the sealing action by momentarily increasing the uid pressure on the primary surface 35 to such an extent that it moves to the outer edge of the flange 29, thereby allowing water to momentarily escape through the mercury and into the oil which contacts the secondary surface 36. This condition must, of` course, be guarded against in the design of submersible motors inasmuch as a small amount of water entering the motor chamber will quickly destroy the dielectric properties of the oil to such an extent that the motor I8 will be burned. out.

In overcoming this tendency for the surface 35 to move outward, we have proved by extensive tests that the shape of the baille 28 is almaterial factor. Thus, if instead of making the flange radial as shown in Fig. 4, this flange is made in the form of a downward diverging skirt, indicated by the numeral 40 of Fig. 3, it is possible t9 99u11- teract this tendency to a large extent, for the diverging skirt retains a larger body of mercury between itself and the bottom of the cup, thereby decreasing the tendency of the primary surface to be displaced in the normal operation of the seal. Such a construction represents a very satisfactory seal under certain conditions, much more so than the form shown in Fig. 4.

Extensive tests disclose another startling fact; namely, that there is a tendency for the oil and water to actually circulate through the body of mercury through denite circulation paths, even when this mercury is subjected to the enormous centrifugal force present when rotating at high speed. The most pronounced tendency to form such a circulation is in the space inside the baffle and inside the skirt 46, and this tendency will be explained in conjunction with the right-half of Fig. 3 in which we have indicated the primary mercury surface by the numeral 4|, and the secondary mercury surface by the numeral 42, these surfaces being indicated in approximately the relative positions they assume when such a seal is in operation. Due to the fact that the shaft I4 is formed of a material which is not wetted by mercury, there exists immediately around the surface of this shaft a minute capillary .space of annular form. This space is formed both through the tendency of the mercury not to wet the shaft i4, and also through the centrifugal action on the mercury which tends to throw it away from the periphery of this shaft. This capillary space is, however, very minute, but is of sucient dimension to allow a portion of the water normally contacting the primary surface 4| to move downward along the surface of the shaft as indicated by the arrows 43. Under certain conditions favorable thereto, this minute flow of water downward around the shaft i4 continues until it reaches the bottom wall of the cup 2l at which point it moves outward along this bottom wall, as indicated by the arrows 44, passing under the lower edge of the skirt 40 of the baille and rising therearound, as indicated by the arrows 45, this minute amount of water eventually mixing with the oil contacting the surface 42. There is similarly a tendency (usually smaller) for the oil contacting this secondary surface to move through a circulation path in that portion of the mercury lying outside of the skirt 40, this circulation path being indicated by arrows 47. We do not mean to state, however, that these circulation paths always take place to the extent indicated in Fig. 3,

the arrows 43, 44, 45, and 41 being indicative merely of the tendency toward the formation of these circulation paths. The existence of the circulation path indicated by the arrows 4l, hereinafter termed the secondary circulation path, is not in itself detrimental so long as this path does not extend vdownward to the lower edge of the skirt 40,A but it is essential that the circulation path indicated by the arrows 43, 44, and 45, hereinafter termed a primary circulation path, should not extend downward as shown in Fig. 3.

We have made very careful tests to ascertain the reason and extent of these circulation paths, and the factors controlling their presence. These tests conclusively show that it is practically impossible to prevent the formation of the capillary space near the surface 4|, though the width of this space becomes less at horizontal sections below the surface 4| due probably to the increased head of mercury above such sections. We have found, however, that the water will creep down- Ward around the surface of the shaft i4 a definite distance, this distance increasing as the speed of rotation of the shaft increases. apparent that no definite and invariable dimensions `or proportions can be given, inasmuch as the design of such a seal will be controlled by the speed of rotation of the shaft, and by the density of the sealing liquid as well as by certain other minor factors.

We have conclusively shown, however, that the distance which the water moves downward around the shaft I4 can be readily regulated so that this water never reaches the level defined by the lower end of the skirt 40. One manner of accomplishing this end is to increase the height of the side walls of the cup 21 so that the depth of mercury therein is correspondingly increased. Thus, the cup shown in Fig. 3 is much higher than that shown in Fig. 4, and in the former gure we have illustrated the tendencyl of this water to move downward along the surface of the shaft I4 by arrows 49 decreasing in'length. It is at once apparent that if this downward movement of water can be limited so that it never reaches the lower edge of the skirt 40, there is no tendency for water to move around the lower edge of this skirt, and there is thus no possibility of the oil and water intermixing.

It is, of course, desirable that the surfaces of the shaft I4, skirt 40 of the baille, and the inner surface of the cup 21 baas/smooth as possible so as not to have a tendency to agitate the liquids immediately thereadjacent. A very startling fact, however, proved by hundreds of tests, indicates that only certain substances are suitable for forming these surfaces. The continued operation `of seals having metallic surfaces often produces pitting of these surfaces. Thus, even when the highest grades of stainless steel are utilized in forming the vbaiiie and cup, pitting invariably occurs below the surface of the mercury, and a continueduse of the seal will cause an actual emulsifcation between the mercuryand the water and oil due to the roughness of thesurfaces. Numerous attempts have been made to ascertain the reason for this pitting, for when the seal is not in operation, the mercury has no pitting effect on these surfaces. When, however, the seal has been in operation but a short time it is possible to discern this pitting action when examining the surfaces under a'microscope. Further, tests wherein a minute electric current was forced through a circuit including the shaft and the baille indicate the same pitting action even when the shaft was stationary, thus leading us to believe that this pitting action is caused by some electrolytic eect, the necessary potential being probably set up due to friction. Regardless of what forces actually set up'such an electrolytic effect, we have found it desirable in most instances to use non-metallic surfaces for the baille and cup, the surface of the shaft being apparently not as susceptible to pitting as the other surfaces, and any pitting of the shaft being relatively unobjectionable as compared to the pitting ofthe baille, for instance. We have successfully used, among other substances, bafiies and cups formed of a mica-base bakelite, porcelain, andglass. In certain instances pyralinf or other celluloid compounds, and casein may also be utilized. In some instances vit is preferable tc coat the inner surface of the cup, and the outer surfaces of the baille with such substances, rather than formingthe rcomplete structure thereof. Thus, porcelainon-steel has been found to be advantageous in many installations.

It is at once With these points in mind the reasons for certain features of the design shown in the preferred l embodiment of our invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 will be readily apparent. Referring to these figures, we have indicated the baille by the numeral 55, this bafile comprising a sleeve portion 56 and a downward diverging skirt4 51, the baiile 55 surrounding the shaft I4 and being spaced therefrom to denne an annular space 58. 'I'he upper end of the sleeve portion 56 extends into a bore 59 'of a stationary member 60 which extends across the upper end of the shell II immediately below the dome I3. 'I'his sleeve portion may conveniently be pressed into the bore 59 and be further sealed relative to the stationary member B0 by means of a gasket 6I retained in a retainer 52 bolted to this member. The gasket 5I is designed to tightly seal the baille relative to the stationary member, this being a relatively simple matter inasmuch as these members are stationary and no wearing of the packing or gasket takes place. In additiori, we prefer to utilize a packing 63 formed of a plurality of packing rings contacting the upper end of the sleeve portion 56 and being compressed thereagainst by a gland 54 held in position by cap screws as shown.

It is preferable tpform a bore 65 through the stationary member 6l! and extending outward to communicate with the water surrounding theA novel construction, and comprises a base 10 pro-A viding a packing chamber inswhich a packing 1I is compressed by a gland member 12. The latter member also serves to prevent any relative movement between the base member 10 and the shaft I4, this action .taking place through a set screw 13 suitably counterbored in the gland member 12. The base member 1li is thus secured tothe shaft in. fluid-tight relationship. l

' 'I'he upper surface of the base member 10 forms la cavity 14 which retains a control member 15.

Positioned directly above this member, and providing a cavity 16 similar to the cavity 14, is a cup member 18, there being bolts 19 extending through a portion of the base and control members 10 and 15, and being threaded into the cup member 18 whereby, the control member is Thecup member 18 A clamped tightly in place. extends upward around the baille 55, as shown, and is provided at its upper end with a cover member 8l secured thereto either by welding or by other means. v

In this form of the invention shown in Fig. 2 we have illustrated a liner 83 as snugly fitting inside thecup member 18 and extending between the control member 15 and cover member 8|, this liner being preferably though not necessarily formed of a material which will resist the pitting action previously described, this liner defining the inner surface of the cup. A ledge 84 projects inward and is formed on the liner 83, this ledge providing a pumping surface 85 surrounding the skirt 51 and diverging downward at an angle which is preferably slightly steeper than the angle of divergence of the skirt 51. In one form of seal which we have found particularly,valuable for CII use with a submersible motor, the angle between the sleeve portion 56 and skirt 51 is between 70 and 80, while the pumping surface 85 is approximately 2 steeper than the skirt 51. It should be understood, however, that these -dimensions are not invariable and are given merely asv an illustration of one practical way of forming the seal.

Mercury or other sealing liquid is poured into the seal until the interior of the cup below the cover member 8| is almost completely filled, the embodiments herein shown being described in conjunction with the use of mercury for illustrative purposes. It is thus apparent that the baille extends below the surface of this sealing liquid and divides this surface into two separated surfaces, one being termed a primary surface 90 and being positioned in the annular space 58 and the other being termed a secondary surface 9| and being positioned in the space between the baffle and the cup. The latter surface is in direct communication with the oil or other secondary liquid with which the shell II is filled, this communi-- cation taking place through annular spaces 92 and 93 formed between the cover member and the sleeve portion 56 of the baille, and through a surge chamber 94 having a lower wall 95 which slopes downward toward the opening 92.

During the subsequent operation of the seal, the rotation-of the shaft I4 causes the mercury to rotate with the cup, -the result being that the surfaces 90 and 9| move from a horizontal plane into a position such as shown in Fig. 2. As previously pointed out there is some tendency for the surface 90 to move downward, but this tendency is largely overcome by the design of the baffle 55 and the large body of mercury retained in the cup. In addition, however, we have found that the pumping surface 85 tends to prevent any excessive downward movement of the surface 90 and by proper design of this pumping surface the normal operating position of the surface 90 may be regulated. The action which takes place may be readily understood by considering the forces to which a particle of mercury adjacent the pumping surface is subjected. Inasmuch as this particle is rotating at a speed which is only slightly less than the speed of the shaft I4, this particle is subject to a centrifugal force which acts in a radial direction. This force exerts two components, one perpendicular to the pumping surface 85 and one directed vertically downward. It is the latter component which is effective in preventing a lowering of the primary surface 90, for this pumping surface exerts a downward force on the mercury between the skirt 51 and the surrounding liner 83, thereby tending to force the mercury back into the space between the shaft and baffle, and thereby tending to raise the level of the surface 90.

Careful observation of a seal such as shown in Fig. 2 definitely indicates that the pumping surface B5 has another very desirable action; namely, thatof preventing the formation of a continuous secondary circulation path which might tend to draw oil downward through the body of mercury and to a position adjacent the lower edge ofthe skirt 51. Instead of there being a single continuous circulation path such as indicated by the numerals 41 of Fig. 3, the type of seal shown in Fig. 2 in reality has three circulation paths, the upper being indicated by the numeral 96 and extending between the cover member 8| and the ledge 84. A second secondary circulation path is indicated by the arrows 91 and exists adjacent the ledge 84 above thepumping surface 85, while the third circulation path indicated by the arrows 98 moves along the pumping surface 85. These paths are apparently entirely separate one from the other.

In Fig. 2 we have illustrated by arrows |00 the tendency, previously described, for water to be drawn downward around the surface of the shaft. As indicated by these arrows, the tendency is for this water to be drawn downward to the bottom of a chamber |I formed in the control member 15 below a control lip or wall |02. Inasmuch as the mercury in the outer portion of this chamber IOI is subjected to a higher centrifugal force than that immediately surrounding the shaft I4, none of the water which would move downward along the shaft, as indicated by the arrows |00, would enter the outer portion of this chamber IOI. Our experiments show, however, that if such a. downward circulation of water takes place, it will return upward through a path determined by the diameter of the opening formed by the control lip |02, as indicated by the arrows |04, and will move upward until it strikes the inner wall of the skirt 51. Thus, in any seal where it is desired to control the flow of the water through the primary circulation path, this can be readily effected bycontrolling the size of the opening defined by the lip |02, this lip being, of course, designed so that this opening is smaller in diameter than the lower end of the skirt l so that the water moves upward inside the skirt rather than around the lower edge thereof and into the space around the baille.

It should be understood, however, that the arrows I00 and |04, shown in Fig. 3, represent merely the tendency of the water to be drawn downward along the shaft. In reality, such a circulation will never take place with a seal constructed as shown, except under adverse conditions such as a loss of a material portion of the mercury in the seal, for as previously explained the water moves downward around the shaft a definite depth which is a function of the speed of the shaft I4. The seal in Fig. 2 is so designed that the depth to which the water will move will not normally be as low as the lower edge of the baffle due to the large head of mercury thereabove, the circulation indicated by the arrows |04 taking place only under adverse conditions. Our experiments have, however, definitely shown that it is possible to utilizethe lip |02 to control the upward flow of this minute quantity of water and thus allow this circulation to. take place. other words, two-systems are possible. In the first, a sufficient head of mercury is utilized so that under normal conditions the primary circulation path will not extend downward to the lower edge ,of the baffle, and in the second, this circulation is allowed to freely take place, being guidedby the lip |02 of the control member 15. It happens that in the form shown in Fig. 2 we have combined the two systems so that an added factor of safety will be present, but it should be understood that either system may be used individually with complete success.

vWhile we have shown the seal in Fig. 2 as being equipped with a separate liner 83, it is entirely possible to form the cup member 18 of this 'material and to form the ledge 84 directly thereon, the control member being also formed of this material. vSuch a construction is indicated in Fig. 1.

The balance chamber 20 normally' effects an exactly equal balance of internal and external pressures, but under surge conditions it is de- InV sirable to provide the surge chamber 94 into which a. portion of the mercury may iiow, the annular opening 92 tending to throttle this flow. When the surge has abated and the shaft speed lowered suiciently the mercury may return to the interior of the cup by owing downward along the sloping surface 95` and dropping through the annular opening 92.

In Fig. 5, we have shown still another form of seal in which the baille is indicated by the numeral |05 and is cylindrical in shape throughout vas that portion of its length lying Within the cup. So also the cup provides a ledge |06 spaced only a small distance from the external surface of the baille |05 and cooperating with other walls of the cup in defining a chamber |0'|. The mercury or other sealing liquid substantially fills this chamber and when the seal is in operation the surface of the mercury lies approximately as shown in Fig. 5. In this type of seal there is a tendency for a downward iiow of water immediately around the shaft, as indicated by the arirows |08. The primary circulation path thus set up is, however, of a peculiar character, for it has been found that if the head of mercury is not too high to prevent this water from reaching the lower end of the cup, this water will move outward as indicated by the arrows |08a, even beyond the outer edge of the bale |05. Through some peculiar action 4which is not readily explainable,thiswaterisnot drawn into the annular space around the baille |05, but is again drawn upward inside the baille, as indicated by the numeral |08b, rising along the inner surface of the baille to complete the primary circulation path. Apparently, the reason for the water again moving into the space inside the baille, as indicated by the arrow |0817, is due to the formation of a region of lower pressure immediately inside this baille and into which the water iiows.

Witha seal such as shown in Fig. 5, the secondary circulation path indicated by the arrows |09 is relatively minute, and does not extend materially downward into the space outside the vbale |05, so that a very satisfactory seal is obtained, there being no danger of the circulation paths coming in contact with leach other to allow ,is often advantageous even with the other types of seals herein disclosed.

'I'he upper surface of the cover member 8| is radial and forms a pumping surface which tends to circulate oil outward thereabove. Toprevent this circulation from moving across the annular space 93, and thus decreasing the pressure inside the rotating cup, an annular ledge ||5 may-be provided on the cover member 8| as shown in Fig. 1.. A baille member IIB may be mounted on brackets ||1I in spaced relationship with the shell, this baille member providing a central opening slightly larger in diameter than the ledge I5 so that an annular space is formed therebetween. 'I'he pumping action of the cover member 8| thus causes a circulation which is downward through this annular space and 'completely around the baille member ||6 as shown by the arrows of Fig. 1. Such a circulation does not flow across the annular opening 93 and thus does not change the pressure inside the rotating cup". It should be understood that our seal is not limited in utility to use with a submersible electric liquid.

motor, but also Afinds equal utility in other submersible structures wherein it is desirable to seal the junction of the shaft and a stationary member.

We claim as our invention:

l. In a fluid seal adapted to effectively seal the junction of a rotating shaft and a stationary member, the combination of a cup secured to said shaft and retaining avbody of mercury, the inner surface of said cup being formed of nonmetallic material; and a balile secured to said stationary member and extending into said cup to a point below the surface of said mercury to divide said surface into separated primary and secondary surfaces, that surface of said baille contactingy said mercury being formed of a nonrnetallic material whereby said body of mercury moves with respect to said bale, the non-metallic nature of said surfaces preventing pitting thereof.

2. In a iiuid seal adapted to effectively seal the junction of a rotating shaft and a stationary member, the combination of a cup secured to said shaft `and retaining a body of sealing liquid; a bafe secured to said stationary member and extending into said cup and terminating below the surface of said sealing liquid to divide said surface into primary and `secondary surfaces the relative positions of which change when the speed of said shaft changes, said primary surface being positioned inside said baiile and said secondary surface being positioned outside said baille; and pumping means opposinga movement of said primary surface in a direction toward the submerged edge of said baflie.

3; In a fluid seal adapted to effectively seal the junction of a rotating shaft and a stationary member, the combination of: a cup secured to said shaft and retaining a body of sealing liquid;

a baille extending into said cupand providing a skirt diverging downward and terminating at a point below thesurface of said sealing liquid to dividev said surface into primary and 'secondary surfaces; and a downward diverging pumping surface formed on said cup -for controlling the relative positions of said primary and secondary surfaces.

4. In a fluid seal adapted to effectively seal the junction of a rotating member and a stationary member, the combination ofz a cup secured to said rotating member and retaining a body of sealing liquid; a bale spaced from said rotating member to form an annular space and extending below the surface of said sealing liquid to divide said surface intoa primary surface in said annular space and a secondary surface around said' baille, said primary surface contacting a primary tion of said primary'liquid'tends to be drawn downward, said portion subsequently moving upward; and means for guiding said upward moving portion of said Aprimary liquid into the inside of said baiile to prevent any of said primary liquid moving upward around said baflie and thereby reaching said secondary surface of said sealing 5. in a fluidseal adapted to effectively seal the junction of a rotating shaft anda stationary member, the combination of: a cup secured to said shaft and retaining a body of sealing liquid; a cover member for said cup; a bafile associated with said stationary member and extending downward through said cover member and below the surface of said sealing liquid, there being an annular passage between said cover memberand said baffle, the upper surface of said cover member providing a pumping surface which circulates a secondary liquid thereadjacent; and means preventing the circulating flow of said secondary liquid from directly communicating with the mouth of said annular passage.

6. A combination as defined in claim in which said last-named means comprises a stationary baffle member extending away from said cover member but spaced therefrom.

7. A combination as dened in'claim 5 in which said cover member includes an annular ledge, and in which said last-named means includes a baie member spaced from said ledge to form an annular space through which passes the circulation fiow set up by said cover member.

8. In a fiuid seal adapted to effectively seal the junction of a rotating member and a stationary member, the combination of: a cup secured to one of said members and retaining a body of mercury; and a baffle secured to the other of said members and extending to a position beneath said body of mercury whereby relative movement between said mercury and said baffle takes place, the surface of said baffle contacting said mercury being formed of a non-metallic material to eliminate pitting thereof due to the action of said mercury.

9. In a fluid seal adapted to effectively seal the junction of a rotating member and a stationary member, the combination of: a cup member surrounding said rotatable member; means securing said cup member to said rotatable member; a non-metallic liner positioned in said cup member, the interior of said non-metallic liner containing a body of sealing liquid; and a baffle secured to said stationary member and extending into said body of sealing liquid.

10. In a fluid seal adapted to effectively seal the junction of a rotating member and a stationary member, the combination of 2 a base secured to said rotating member; a cup member above said base; a control member providing therein a cham-A ber communicating with the interior of said cup member; means for securing said base, said cup member, and said control member together to rotate with said rotating member as a unit, there being a body of sealing liquid in said chamber and said cup member; and a baffle around said shaft and extending beneath the surface of said body of sealing liquid, opposite sides of said baffle communicating with the liquids to be separated.

11. In a Huid seal adapted to effectively seal the junction of a rotating member and a stationary member thereby preventing passage of a primary liquid through said junction, the combination of a cup member secured to said rotating member to be rotated therewith, said cup member containing a body of sealing liquid which rotates when said cup member rotates; a stationary bafie in fluid-tight relationship with said stationary member and extending downward into said sealing liquid and in spaced relationship with said rotating member to define a chambertherebetween, the lower portion of said chamber containing said sealing liquid and the upper portion of said chamber containing a portion of said primary liquid in surface contact with said sealing liquid in said chamber, the lower end of said baffie diverging downward and outward to an edge lto define a tapered portion of said chamber, said tapered portion being defined betwen said stationary baffle and said rotating member and being substantially filled with said sealing liquid at all times regardless of the rotation of said rotating member.

12. In a fiuid seal adapted to effectively seal the junction of a rotating member and a stationary member, the combination of a cup secured to said rotating member and retaining a body of sealing liquid; a baffle spaced from said rotating member to form an annular space and extending below the surface of said sealing liquid to divide said surface into a primary surfacev in vsaid annular space and a secondary surface around said baie, said primary surface contacting a primary liquid, said sealing liquid and said rotating member forming a capillary space into which a portion of said primary liquid tends to be drawn downward, said portion subsequently moving upward; and a wall extending inward from said cup at a section below the lowermost portion of said baffle and above the bottom wall of said cup, said wall extending inward to a position beyond said lowermost portion of said balile to guide said upward moving portion of said pri,- mary liquid into the inside of said baie.

13. In a fluid seal adapted to effectively seal the junction of a rotating member and a stationary member, the combination of a cup secured to one of said members and retaining a body of sealing liquid; a baie secured to the other of said members and extending below the surface of said body of sealing liquid to divide said surface into primary and secondary surfaces; and a wall extending partially across the interior of said cup at a position below the lowermost portion of said baiiie and above the bottom wall of said cup.

14. In a seal for sealing the junction of a rotating member and a stationary member: a cup secured to said rotating member and defining a downward diverging pumping surface on the inner wall thereof, said cup containing a body of sealing liquid; a baiile depending from said stationary member and including a downward diverging skirt adjacent said downward diverging pumping surface but spaced therefrom, said baffle extending to a point below said sealing liquid.

15. A combination as dened in claim 14 in which said skirt diverges from the vertical at an angle greater than the angle of divergence of said pumping surface.

16. In a seal adapted to seal a stationary member with respect to a rotating member: cup means secured to said rotating member and containing a body of sealing liquid; a baiiie extending downward around said rotating member into said sealing liquid, said' baffle and said rotating member defining a chamber, said stationary member providing an opening into which the upper end of said baiiie extends; walls defining an opening through said baffle above the point where said baie leaves said opening of said stationary member, said opening in said baiiie communicating with a primary liquid and supplying said primary liquid to said chamber; and means for sealing said baflie with respect to said opening of said stationary member.

17. In a fluid seal adapted to effectively seal two liquids at the junction of a rotating member and a stationary member, the combination of a' cup means secured to said rotatable member and retaining a body of mercury rotating therewith; and a stationary baffle attached to said stationary member and extending into said cup means to a position beneath the surface of said body of mercury,.said baie cooperating with said rotatable member to define an annular chamber, opposite sides of said bale respectively communimetal and being coated with a non-metallic coating which prevents direct contact between the metal of said stationary baie and the mercury rotating relative thereto thus preventing pitting of said bafe.

' EARL MENDENHALL.

JUNIUS B. VAN HORN. 

